Palmwine tapper plots to use nephew for money-making rituals

An eight-year-old boy, Lokoja Abeshi, would have probably been dead by now, but for providence. The plan by his adopted uncle, a palmwine tapper, Jonah Jabah, to use him for money-making rituals was foiled by a spiritualist that was consulted to perform the rites.

Jabah is currently in the custody of the Federal Capital Territory Command of the State Security Service along with his accomplice identified simply as, Alhaji Mamman.


Abeshi had been living with Jabah since he was a baby when his biological father handed him over to the palm wine tapper. The duo had been living together for the past years in Garaku village, Nasarawa State, until a few weeks ago when Jabah felt that the only way out of his poverty was to use the boy for rituals.


Though he owned a supermarket in his village, the palm wine tapper was not contented with his financial condition, which he believed was caused by his nephew.


Speaking with PUNCH METRO on Friday, Jabah explained that he was told that Abeshi, who is just like “my pikin” had “a bad spirit,” and was responsible for his financial problems.


According to him, he decided to take him to a spiritualist to exorcise him and his friend, Mamman, took him to Mallam Muhammed Ibrahim in Marraba, a satellite town of the FCT.


Jabah said that the first day he visited the spiritualist, prayers were offered for the boy, but he (Jabah) went back the second day and informed the mallam that he wished to use the boy for money-making rituals.


“The mallam said he didn’t engage in rituals, but only offered prayers. He promised to assist us to get someone that would do it. He demanded N150,000 for the rituals, but I said I didn’t have such an amount of money. I told him that if I have such an amount, I won’t have come to him. I told him I would pay N30,000 and he agreed and I gave him the money,” the suspect said.


Jabah said that Ibrahim asked him and Mamman to wait while he got something at the next street. A few minutes later, he came back with a team of SSS operatives that arrested both men.


Mamman claimed that he did not know that his friend wanted to use his nephew for rituals, adding that he merely informed him that the boy needed prayers.


“I took him to the mallam for prayers and not rituals,” he said.


Ibrahim, who also spoke with our correspondent, said that he decided to contact the SSS in order to save the boy’s life, adding that he did not engage in human rituals, but only prayed for people who needed spiritual help.


He said, “When Jabah said he wanted to use the boy for rituals, he said he had just N3,000 which I collected. I told him I will use the money to buy a ram whose blood would be used to wash the boy’s head before we use him for the sacrifice. I then informed my brother who works with the SSS and he said I should play along with them.”


Jabah however insisted he gave the spiritualist N30,000 and not N3,000 as he claimed.


The Legal Officer of the FCT Command of the SSS, Mr. Tom Aniefiok, stated that Jabah and Mamman would soon be handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.


“Jonah Jabah, who claims to be the boy’s uncle resides at Garaku, Kokona LGA of Nasarawa State. He blamed his bad luck and misfortune in life on the boy, hence the resolve to sacrifice him,” he said.


Aniefiok advised members of the public to promptly report such matters to security agencies.

Posted: at 18-04-2011 11:39 AM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm nothing person no go hear for this naija............puaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa i pass.

Posted: at 18-04-2011 10:24 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

God punish them 9000000000000000000000000 times with infinity!! Thank god for d child!

Posted: at 18-04-2011 11:38 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac